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Travel Destination Guide - Maleme
Maleme (Crete, Greece) 
Maleme Information
Slideshow of Photos
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Maleme is best known as the place where German paratroopers attacked Crete in 1941. Most of those young men lost their life in the attack and are laid to rest in the German war cemetery . It is a moving place located on the hills above Maleme and a place well worth a visit to ponder human stupidity.
This area is suitable for couples and families of all ages who have economy in mind and are looking for a quiet stretch of beach front and not much else. There are one or two larger hotels in the area, but they are generally generally lower-category self-catering options.
Locality:
Maleme is found towards the west end of the north coast (10 mls W of Chania, 20 mls W of Chania airport). It is on a level road hugging the coastline, with gently rising fertile hills behind planted with olive and orange trees.
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The beach here is a long, sweeping, grey-pebble beach with good bathing. Some water sports are available close to the hotels where you can also find sunbeds and sun umbrellas that can be hired. No problem finding an unoccupied section of beach for those who want to be totally alone.
Shopping is limited to a bakery, a supermarket, a couple of food shops and souvenir and craft shops.
During the daytime sunbathing and water sports are available , including windsurfing, water-skiing and pedalloes. Other activities include walking and cycling.
The nightlife here is mainly local tavernas and occasional live entertainment at local hotels.
There is a taverna or two in the beach area and a couple of restaurants on the main road, otherwise, the hotels are the only other choice.
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Population: 10.668.400
Languages: Greek 99% (official), English, French
Currency: euro
Currency code: EUR
Local Times:
Greece - Athens
Country Dialling Code: +30
Voltage: 220V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
   
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Greece appeals to different types of tourist, and very few could fail to find somewhere to suit their taste. From bustling Athens to blindingly bright islands, ancient fragments abound - the belly button of the cosmos at Delphi, fallen columns galore on the sacred island of Delos, frescoed Minoan palaces on Crete and even, quite possibly, the remnants of Atlantis at Santorini. Greeks are fierce guardians of tradition, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun. In addition, hot sun and limpid seas conspire to make Greece a perfect place to relax. Whether you're supping in a beachside taverna , sipping coffee in a shady plateia or disco-dancing till dawn.
The Olympic Games were spawned in ancient classical Greece, along with democracy and the fundamentals of philosophy, science and mathematics. Modern Greece is better known as a great place to vacation rather than a centre of learning and culture. Today the country attracts by offering simple pleasures: delicious food at reasonable prices, local wine, beautiful beaches, sunshine, quaint villages, a seemingly endless lacework of coastline and little islands full of scenic surprises.
The country exudes traditional charm, particularly on its ever-popular islands, which cling to their stereotypical architecture and way of life despite being often over-run by tourists. Black-clad women still deliver vegetables to island tavernas on panniered donkeys, while bronzed, lined fishermen sit in the sun, drink thick coffee, and play dominoes or dice. The tourist infrastructure has intruded in many respects, but the timeless aspect of whitewashed buildings clustered on hillsides around narrow pebbled alleys has been retained. The myriad islands in the Aegean Sea are easily accessible from Piraeus, the historic harbour of Greece's mainland capital, Athens, by ferry or hydrofoil, offering a unique chance for 'island-hopping'. Many of the larger islands also have airports with connections to Athens or seasonally with major European cities.
On the mainland the city of Athens in the south is sprawling, overcrowded and polluted but nevertheless enthralls visitors, while Thessaloniki in the north is vibrant and modern with a Byzantine flavour. Athens is dominated by its major landmark, the Parthenon: the remains of other wonders of the ancient Greek classical world are to be found mainly on the Peloponnese Peninsula, south of Corinth, the gateway to a veritable treasure trove of history.
Greece and Greeks welcome with open arms the thousands of visitors that flock to admire their national assets every year - no-one leaves without having been warmed, both by the sun and the hospitality. |
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Local Area Weather
Heraklion, GREECE |
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Partly Cloudy |
13°C
Feels like: 13°C |
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